Coin mechanism for vending machines



April 19, 1932. l P. RAPPAPQRT 1,854,668

cIN MECHANISM FOR VENDING'MACHINES Filed Sept. 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l mw e l N N ,2H/ /B INVENTOE;

` ATTORNEY April 19, 1932. P. RAPPAPORT com MEGHANISM Fon VENDING MACHINES Filed ggpt. 15, 1928 2 Shins-sheer 2 Ilm @a /CD INVENTOR s BY AMJ? ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES v P AUL RAIPPAIPORT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK` i COIN MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Application filed September 13,' 1923. Serial No. 305,717.

My invention relates to a coin mechanism for vending machines and while the same may be applied to a machine for vending postage stamps or other' similar articles, and while I have shown the same as applied thereto, it will be apparent that the same may be utilized for other types of vending machines.

One of the objects of the invent-ion is to provide a. simple and efficient coin mechanism for controlling the operation of a vending machine. The coin mechanism is adapted to receive and temporarily hold a coin of the correct denomination but to allow a slug which is of lesser thickness or lesser denomination than the correct coin to pass through the coin mechanism, so that it will not operate the vending machine. Both of these functions are accomplished in a simple manner in the present device.

I also provide simple means for ejecting the coin after it has served to control the operation of the vending machine.

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a view comprising a section through the enclosing casing and bed of the machine with the working parts shown in side elevation,v

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the casing and aplan view of the operating parts of the machine,

Figure 3 is a sectional view of part of the coin device and is taken on the line 3 3 of y Figure 4, Y

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the coin device shown in Figure 3,v

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a view similar tovFigure 3 illustrating how the coin device accepts the correct coin and rejects a coin or slug of lesser thickness, and

Figure 7 is a similar View lshowing how a coin of smaller diameter than the intended coin is rejected.

I will first describe the coin mechanism which controls theV operation of the vending machine. j

First I will point out that I have shown the various parts Vof the machine mounted on a base plate 1 and to this is attached a casing 2 for enclosing the parts of the machine, which casing is .preferably made of glass or other transparent material, although any material may be used for the casing. The machine is 6 builtv upon a frame consisting of parallel standards 3, 4, the standards being attached to the base plate 1. The coin mechanism is shown as arranged about the shaft 54 which is journaled in the standards 3, 4 of the frame, andthis is the shaft from which the operating force 'for effecting vthe operation'of the mechanical parts is taken. This shaft is adapted to be operated by means of a hand crank 6 secured to the end of the shaft and the latter projects through an aperture in the enclosing casing 2. There is a disc 7 secured upon the shaft 5 and it is provided with a pin 8 which is adapted to enter an aperture in the shoe 9 for the purpose of locking the disc 7 andtherefore locking the main shaft against rotation, until such time as the pin 8 is removed from the aperture of the shoe 9. This pin enters an aperture in the shoe 9 which is adapted to rest against the periphery of the disc7 and the shoe is formed on the end of an arm 10 which is pivoted at 11 upon a shaft Which is ournaled in the bracket 12 mounted on the base plate 1. This arm is attached to or made integral with a rocking frame which 80 is composed of parallel members 13, these parallel members being attached to the shaft 11 at one end and being connected at their upper end by a cross bar 14. In addition, there is an intermediate cross bar 15, the two SO bars holding the side members 13 in fixed parallel relation, thereby forming a rocking frame which pivots on the shaft 11.

This frame is'urged to rock to the left in Figure 1 by means of a coiled'spring 16, one end of which is connected with the bar 15 and the other with a fixed point 17. This spring urges the rocking frame to the left in Figure 1 for the purpose of forcing the shoe 9 against the disc 7 and into locking engagement with the pin 8. There is a forwardly projecting arm 18 attached to or integral with the rocking frame just described, which arm is adapted to be engaged by the coin 19 as will appear hereinafter. Y l f The coin receiving device consists of a small frame which 1s mounted on the main shaft 5. This coin holding frame, when the parts are in the position shown in Figure l, extends upwardly from the main shaft 5 and is somewhat inclined. This rocking frame is urged into the position shown in Figure l by means of a coiled spring 2l one end of which is connected with the Lipper end of the frame and the other end is connected with a pin 22 projecting laterally from the disc 7.

As shown more in detail in Figures 3 to 7, the frame 20 of the coin receiving device is constructed as follows: The frame member 2O is provided with raised abutments 23 at opposite sides, and there is a cover plate 24 attached to the frame member 20 by the screws 25 so that the cover member lies against the raised abutments 23 in parallel relation to and spaced from the front side of the member 20. The member 20 is provided with a pin 26 projecting toward the cover 24 the purpose of which is to engage a point on the periphery of the coin 19 when the latter is presented to the coin holding device, as it falls down 'through the coin receiving chute 27. The member 20 is also provided with a curved shoulder 28 where the depressed surface 29 meets with the surface 30 which is higher than the depressed surface 29.

As shown in Figure 5 the member 2O is provided with the depressed surface 30 lying below the plane of the top surface of the abutments 23, soV that a vertical space is formed between the inner side of the plate 24 and the surface 30. The depressed surface 29 extends to a greater depth in lthe member 2O so that this surface is spaced from the inner side of the plate 24 a greater distance than the surface 30. In the preferred construction the space between the surface 29 and the inner side of the plate 24 is at least as wide or slightly wider than the thickness of the particular coin which is to be used in the operation of the machine. The curved shoulder 28 and the upper end of the right hand abutment 23 meet at the point 31 to form an abutment for engaging a point on the periphery of the coin 19 which is nearly opposite to the point engaged by the pin 26. There is a notch 32 formed in the top of the member 2O to expose a portion of the coin when it is engaged with the pin 26 and the abutment 23. When a coin passes down the coin chute 27 it enters into the space between the member 20 and the plate 24 and if the coin is of the correct denomination intended for the machine it will come to rest, as shown in Figure 3. Because of its diameter lit will rest partly on the pin 26 and partly upon the abutment surface 31 and in this position it is adapted to carry out the function ofcontrolling the operation of the vending portion of the machine, as will be hereinafter set forth.

If a slug (such as a tin disc) is introduced into the coin chute and the slug is of less thickness than the correct coin, and of smaller diameter, it will pass through the coin holding device.- On account of its lesser diameter it will not rest against the pin 26 in the abutment 3l and as it passes between these it cannot rest against the curved edge 28 because this is slanted. The edge 28 curves downwardly from the right toward the left in Figures 3, 6 and 7 and in addition this edge is slanted downwardly or chamfered so that a thin slug will not rest against it but will be deflected into the space between the member 30 and the cover 34 and pass downwardly through the space between these members through lack of support.

The thin slug therefore, will slide over this` edge and drop through the narrow space between t-.he surface 30 and the cover' 24 and thus clear` the coin receiving device without effecting the operation of the machine. If a coin or slug of smaller diameter than the intended coin discharges from the chute it will not engage the pin 26 and the abutment 31 but will pass between these, and if it is of greater thickness than the space between the face 3() and 'the cover 24 it will pass under the pin 26 following along the line 28 as shown at 33 in Figure 7, discharging from the coin device without effecting the operation of the machine. Thus I have provided simple means for discharging thin slugs or coins that are thinner than the coin which the machine is intended to be operated by, and undersized coins or slugs are also immediately discharged without effecting the operation of the machine. If the proper coin comes to rest on the pin 26 and the abutment 23, the upper portion of the coin will project above the plate 20 and it will be in the path of the lever arm 18. rihe notch 32 extends downwardly from the upper edge of the plate 20 to a point below the bottom of the coin when the latter is in the position shown in Figure 3. There is a spring finger 34 mounted on the base plate, and the end 35 of this hook or finger lies in the path of the notch 32 so that when the coin is carried around with the plate 20 and has served its function, this linger or hook will enter the notch 32 beyond the edge of the coin and hook the coin out of the plate `2O in case it does not fall out by gravity.

I have shown brackets 35 mounted on the base plate 1 and their upper ends carrying an arbor 36 on which a coil 37 is mounted. This coil comprises a strip of material from which pieces are to be severed and dispensed.

Where the machine is used for vending postage stamps the strip will consist of a number of stamps in strip form. The end of the strip is laid over a top plate 38 where it is engaged by the feeding device to be fed forwardly to the cutting device.

I havelshown a shaft 39 disposed behind Aframe of the machine.

and parallel with the main shaft 5 and it is here shown as operated from the former by means of the sprocket wheel on the main shaft, which drivesthe endless chain 41 and the latter engages around the sprocket 42 on the shaft 39. While I have shown a chain drive between these shafts, itr'will be obvious that any other means for transferring the power from one to the other, such as gears, may be used in place of the chain drive. On the shaft 39 there is a fixed arm V43 which has a roller 44 that engages the curved edge 45 of the lever arm 46 which is part of a lever pivoted onthe stud 47. The end of the lever arm 46 projects behind the frame of the machine and it may be grasped by hand to manipulate the feeding device when the strip is lirst being threaded through the machine. There is a second arm 48 forming part of this lever and angularly disposed in relation to the arm 46. There is a spring 49 connected at one end with the arm 48 and with the fixed point 50 on the frame of the machine, which spring serves to retract the feeding lever and to keep the lever arm 46 in the path of the roller 44. There is a sliding plate 51 which reciprocates along the top of the plate 38 and it is provided with an arm 52 which projects downwardly through the longitudinal slot 53 in this plate. Where the arm 52 projects below the plate 38 it is provided with a pin 54 which engages in the slot 55 of a fork formed on the upper end of the lever arm 48.

Through these connections the plate 51 of the feeding device is reciprocated along the supporting plate 38 each time the lever 48 is oscillated. The device for gripping the strip against the plate 51 of the feeding device consists of a gripping member 56 which is pivoted on theV shaft 57 which is mounted in raised brackets at opposite sides of the plate 51. The forward edge of this gripping member co-operates with the plate 51 l to grip the strip so that the latter is fed forwardly with the forward movement of the feeding device. On one side of the gripping member 56 I have shown attached thereto a tripping arm 58 which extends downwardly and which is preferably made suliciently thin to be resilient. This arm projects downwardly into the path of a resilient member which I have here shown as a looped spring attached to the bracket 59 mounted on the The upper member 60 of this spring is inclined downwardly t0- ward the back of the machine and at its rear end it is curved into a loop 61 and it thence extends forwardly again, so that its opposite .end is attached to the bracket 59. As the under tension, and this causes the gripping member 56 to press with greater pressure on the stamp against the plate 51.

I have shown a plate 62 adj ustably secured to the frame of the machine and having a pin 63 projecting into the path of the gripping member 56 so that as the latter arrives at its extreme rearward position it will engage the pin 63 .and the latter will insure a positive grip of the feeding member 56 against the strip, ready for the next forward movement or feeding operation.

I have provided a device for gripping the strip to hold it against backward movement during the retraction of the feeding device, and for holding it while the cutting olf device is operating. This consists of a vertically disposed plate 64 moving in grooves in the posts 65 near the forward end of the machine; and the lower edge 66 of this plate is adapted to press the strip against the slightly raised surface 67 of the supporting plate 38 for the purpose of gripping the strip. This plate 64 is shown as being reciprocat-ed by means of a rod 68 attached thereto, which is Vpressed downwardly by a coiled spring 69 arranged around this rod, and pressing at one end against the abutment 7 O through which the rod passes and which is formed as part of one of the standards of the frame. There is a cam 7l arranged on the main shaft, which acts on the roller 72 at the lower end of the rod 69 so that for each revolution of the main shaft the plate 64 is gradually raised until the roller rides off the point of the cam 71 whereupon the rod 68 3'.'

quickly descends under the action of the spring 69 and the lower edge of the plate snaps down upon the top of t e strip.

The device for cutting off stamps from the strip comprises the following: fixed or stationary blade 73 attached to the frame of the machine and having,` its upper shearing edge disposed horizontally slightly below the plane of the front edge of the plate 38 and just aheadfof the front edge of this l plate. At one end of this fixed cutting member there is a stud 74 on which the movable cutting member 7 5 is pivoted. The cutting edge of this member co-operates with the horizontal cutting edge of the fixed cutting member 73 to sever the strip adjacent the forward edge of the plate 38.

The stud 74 on which the cutting member 75 is pivoted is extended outwardly, and

there is a coiled spring 76 surrounding this stud and adapted to be adjusted in tension by the nuts 7 7 for the purpose ofv eXertmg lateral pressure on the pivoted cutting member 7 5 to keep the same close against the side of the fiXed cutting member `7 3, so that the edges of the cutting members will operate close together and insure a` clean cutting action. The movable cutting member is normally held in one position by means of a coiled spring 7 8 which surrounds the stud 74,

There is a l i Cs,

` the frame and the other end being hooked through the aperture 79 in the movable cutting member. rlhe latter is adapted to be given a quick or snap cutting action, as follows rl`here is a slide 8O disposed crosswise of the machine and reciprocating in the guides 81. This slide has attached to it an arm 82 which extends downwardly and is provided with a roller 83 at its lower end, which is acted upon by a rim cam 84 fired to the main shaft 5. rThe roller 83 held in Contact with the edge of the cam 84 by means of the coiled spring 85 liked at one end' t the stud 86 which secures the arm 82 to the slide, and the other end of this spring is fixed to a bracket 87 on the base. At the end of the slide 80 opposite to the arm a tripping trigger 88 pivoted on the slide and having a curved surface 89 which engages with the end 90 of the cutting member 75 projecting below the pivotal stud 74. rlhis trigger is normally held in one position by a spring 9i coiled around the stud on which the trigger is pivoted, one end of the spring` passing through an aperture in the trigger. The trigger can swing in one direction only.

the end of O poration A. coin of the required denomination is placed in the chute 27 through which it passes until it enters between the plate 20 and the cover 24; and the coin holding device which at this time is in the position shown in Figure 1. lf the coin is of lesser diameter than that which is required to operate the machine it will pass between the pin 26 and the abutment 31 and roll out laterally, as shown in Figure 7, and it will, therefore, not operate the machine. If a slug is entered.y such as a tin disc, which is thinner than the correct coin, it will ride over the edge 28 and drop through the space between the face 30 and the cover 24 dropping out of the coin device, and it will, therefore, not operate the machine. Assuming that the correct coin has been delivered upon the pin 26 and the abutment 31, the machine is in readiness for operation. he person operating the machine will turn the crank 6 clockwise'and this will revolve the main shaft 5. Soon after the movement starts, the coin projecting above the top edge of the plate 2O will engage the forward end of the lever arm and as the shaft continues to be revolved, the lcoin presses against the lever arm 18, thereby rocking the frame of which this arm is a part, upon the pivot 11 and in opposition to the spring 16. As the frame is swung backwardly, the shoe 9 is removed from the disc 7 and the shoe disengages from the pin 8 so that the disc and the main shaft are then unlocked to permit one complete revolution thereof. To permit the shaft 5 to be revolved 82 there isV suiiciently to carry out the unlocking operation, the shaft is permitted to revolve while the pin 93 thereon moves from a position near the pin 22 to which one end of the spring is connected, and the pin 94 projecting laterally' from the disc 7, so that by the time the pin 93 comes into contact with the pin 94 the main shaft will have been revolved sufficiently to have caused the shoe 9 to unlock from the pin 8 so that the disc 7 may revolve, thereby permitting continuation in the revolution of the main shaft.

The motion of the main shaft is transmitted through the sprockets 40, 42 and the chain 41 to the shaft 39 and the arm 43 moves clockwise, as shown in Figure 1, so that the roller 44 operates on the curved edge of the lever arm 46 causing the same to rock counterclockwise in Figure 1, upon the pin 11 in opposition to the spring 49. While the parts were at rest vthe clutch 56 was engaged with the strip which is positioned across the plate 38 and the forward edge of it will lie adjacent the edge of the cutting device. As the lever arm 4G swings to the left in Figure 1, it will cause the plate 51 to move toward the cutting device, and as the strip is held by the gripper, it is carried forward, being taken from the roll 37, until a portion of the strip projects over the horizontal edge of the lower cutting member a distance corresponding with one unit of the strip; for instance` one stamp length or several stamp lengths. During this forward feeding motion of the strip the pressing member 64 is held in raised position by the cam 7l to permit the strip to be moved forwardly. During this time, also, the movable cutting knife 75 is in raised position, to permit the strip to be fed past it. As the feeding device moves forwardly, the arm 58 projecting down from the gripper, is acted upon. by the resilient spring 60 to increase the gripping pressure upon the gripper, so that it will positively hold the strip upon the plate 51 while the strip is being fed forwardly. l/Jhen the feeding device has made its complete stroke forwardly the roller 72 will ride off the point of the cam 71 so that the rod 68 and the plate 64 will drop with a quick or snap action and the plate will press the forward part of the strip against the surface 67 to hold the strip against backward movement while the feeding device is making its retractive movement.

When the presser plate 64 has thus come down upon the strip, the cutting off action will take place as follows: l/Vhile the main shaft is making its revolution, the cam 84 is operating on the roller 83 to move the slide 89 against the opposition of the'spring 85 and while the slide is making this movement, the trigger 88 escapes against the point 90 of the movable cutting member, but this does not move the latter. After the pressing device has engaged the strip,-the roller 83 will ride E the end of the cam 84 so that the slide 80 moves to the right, underthe action of the spring 85, the motion being very rapid. As the trigger 88 can trip in only one direction, it positively engages the point 90 of the cutting member during this return movement, so that the slide 8O acting through the trigger, rocks the cutting member 75 by a quick action, causing the same to swing in relation to the stationary cutting member and severs the strip so that the projecting portion may fall into a delivery chute and be delivered to the outside of the machine casing. The trig- Vger 88, without swinging, will pass the corner of the knife when the latter has been swung down sufhciently to sever the strip, to that the trigger moves beyond the knife. As soon as the trigger escapes the point 90 of the knife, the latter is returned very rapidly by the spring 78. In the next movement of the slide 80, the trigger 88 will escape the point of the knife but will engage it on the return movement, the same as above described.

After the cutting device has been operated and the main shaft 5 has made one complete revolution, it will be locked again as follows: Before the shaft has made its complete operation, the pin 8 on the disc 7 will move under the curved lip 9a of the locking shoe, thereby lifting the shoe and the pin 8 will slide along the inner surface of the shoe until it registers with the aperture therein, whereupon the shoe will snap back against the disc 7 under the action of the spring 16, at the same time locking the pin 8 and thereby locking the main shaft.

When the arm 48 partially completes its revolution, the roller 44 gradually allows the lever 46 to be returned to its rearrmost position under the action of the spring 49. During the forward motion of the feeding device, the spring arm 58 engaged the inclined spring 60 to increase the pressure on the gripper but when the feeding device reached its foremost position this spring arm passed the spring 60 thereby releasing the gripper from the strip. "When the feeding device makes its return or retractive motion, the spring arm 58 is lifted in the opposite direction by the spring 60 to positively disengage the gripper from the strip, the latter being held at that time by the gripping plate 64. When the gripping device has been fully retracted into the position shown in Figure l, the pin 68 engages the gripper and closes it upon the strip preparatory to the next feeding operation.

The above operations are repeated each time a coin is introduced into the coin device, the crank 6 being revolved one complete revolution for each operation.

The coin merely controls the operation of the lever 18 to unlock the vending portion of the machine and by the time the coin holder 2O is turned downwardly the coin may fall out of the coin holder by gravity; but in order to prevent the coin from sticking and being used for a successive operation I have provided the hook in the path of the notchv 32, so that when the coin device is in the lower position the hook enters the bottom of the notch 82 above the coin, and as the coin holder continues to revolve,-the hook will pull the coin lout of the holder in case there is a tendency for it to stick therein.

Having described my invention, what I claim is.: i

1. A coin device for vending machines, comprising means for receiving and holding a coin during the operation of the machine, including co-operating plates forming a space between them to provide a slot to receive a coin edgewise therein, said plates being formed to provide a shoulder having a chamfered top edge on which a coin of proper thickness may rest and a thinner slug will slide off, and abutment members adjacent the upper portion of said slot with which the periphery of the coin is adapted to engage adjacent approximately opposite points of the periphery of said coin, whereby said coin is supported by the abutments in the upper portion of said slot the lower portion of said slot being adapted to permit slugs which are of less thickness than the required coin to pass therethrough.

2. A -coin device for vending machines, comprising means for receiving and holding a coin for t-he operation o-f the machine, including co-operating plates forming a space between them to provide a slot to receive a coin edgewise therein, said plates being formed to provide a receiving slot of greater lateral width where the coin enters said slot i and of narrower width below said first port-ion, with a shoulder between said wider and narrower portions extending downwardly and laterally of said co-operating plates, said shoulder being chamfered whereby coins of proper thickness may rest thereon and a thinner slug willslide ofi' the same, an abutment member adjacent the wider port-ion of said slot and so disposed that the periphery of the coin will engage said abutment and the upper portion of said shoulder at approximately opposite points of the periphery of the coin to support the latter in the wider portion of said slot, said narrower portion of said slot being adapted to permit slugs that are of less thickness than the required coin, to pass therethrough.

3. A coin device for vending machines comprising means for receiving and holding a coin for the operation of the machine, including co-operating plates forming a space between them to provide a slot to receive a coin edgewise therein, said plates being so formed that said slot is of greater lateral width where a coin enters and of narrower width below said first portion, and a slanting shoulder between said wider and said narrower portions of said slot, said shoulder extending downwardly and laterally and having a top edge chamfered crosswise of said shoulder, an abutment member adj aeent thewider portion of said slot and so disposed that the periphery of the coin Will engage said abutment and the upper portion of said -shoulder andr be supported thereby in the Wider portion of said, slot, said narrower portion of'said slot being `adapted to permit slugs that are ofless vthickness than the required coin to pass therethrough.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, the 4th day of September, 1928.

PAUL RAPPAPORT. 

